The Next Step Difference: Toenail Fungus

Why you should choose Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic if you have toenail fungus.

Toenail fungal infections are very common; they affect about 15% of the U.S. population. Until recently, most people treated fungus with either topicals, laser therapy, or oral medications. Unfortunately, there are frequent failures using only one kind of treatment. Fungal infections are tough to cure and require multiple kinds of treatments at the same time, over a period of time. Often, more than one approach is needed to adequately kill fungus and begin re-growing strong, healthy toenails.

What sets us apart at Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic is that we have the ability to go from Fungus to Fabulous in Six Months with our Five Star Approach to Fabulous Toenails. Our Fungus to Fabulous Package includes: 2 Laser Therapy Treatments, Safe Oral Therapy, Antifungal Skin Treatment, Antifungal Nail Treatment, Nail Supplements, and Antimicrobial Shoe Spray. Most of our patients show significant improvement within 3 to 6 months.

We start by thoroughly removing the affected nail tissue and submit pathology samples to positively identify what we are dealing with. This is the start of treating nail fungus. We have to know what bug we are dealing with to use the most effective treatment. Also by removing most of the infected tissue the treatment is more successful.

Next, we select the appropriate oral medication. Oral medication by itself is only effective in about 30% of the cases with severe nail fungus. Also, we have noticed that most practitioners discontinue the medication too soon, resulting in unsatisfactory results. Some doctors are hesitant to prescribe appropriate medication because of fears of liver toxicity associated with antifungals. The truth is that liver toxicity associated with the use of terbinafine is only about 1 out of every 40,000 in most studies. General guidelines currently are that checking liver function prior to beginning the therapy is needed. Unless the patient develops symptoms, no further testing is required.

We always use some form of antifungal topical medication for the nail and skin to treat the fungus and ensure it doesn’t spread. We feel like this gives a significant boost to the effectiveness of the treatment because it’s being treated from the inside with the oral medication and from the outside with the topical medications.

In addition, we prescribe Fungal Laser Therapy to help kill the fungus that lives in and under the toenail. The severity of the fungus determines the number of fungal laser therapy treatments that you will need. Skin and shoe treatments are also recommended. It does little good to cure the infection and then stick the foot in a shoe full of fungus organisms.

So take some time and come see us at Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic and go from Fungus to Fabulous! Your Next Step For Healthy Toenails is only a phone call away. Schedule your appointment with us today!Call 210.375.3318 for Universal City or 830.569.3338 for Pleasanton.